In our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group today we discussed self-care. It is important for everyone, especially those who spend their lives taking care of others, that they do things that make themselves feel good and cared for. Some of the self-care methods mentioned in our group included working out, bubble baths, massages, facials, etc. The topic got me thinking about what I do for my personal self-care. I do my own hair and nails; no salon needed. I step into a salon about once a year for a hair cut. I also can’t recall the last time I have had a massage and not once have I had a facial (I have sensitive skin). Those type of self care things aren’t high on my priority list. However, what I wear is high on my self-care list. Beautiful clothing that is quality made makes me smile inside. Since high school I have enjoyed wearing dresses and dressing up in general. Its just who I am. It my way of caring for myself. When my kids were very little I made sure I was dressed nice before we left the house, even for Mommy and Me classes and playdates. I may not have always had the time or opportunity to shower or do my hair, but my outfit looked good. Its not that I place this expectation on others to dress up. Not at all. I realize that most people are more comfortable in more casual clothing. I am just a little different. What makes me comfortable is dressing up every day, even to run errands. Its something small that makes me feel like I am taking care of myself. I don’t spend much time getting ready in the morning either. To be honest, it doesn’t take any more time to put on a dress than it does to put on my workout clothes and most days I do my makeup in the car when I arrive at our morning destination (school parking lot). If you see me out in workout clothes, its because I am on my way to workout or I just finished working out.
Loving beautiful, quality clothing isn’t cheap though. That’s why I have become a good shopper always on the hunt for the best deals for the brands I love most. Vince Camuto is one brand that I adore. The quality is top notch. I have found several places that sell the brand for half to a third of the retail price. The outfits below were purchased at Steinmart, TJMaxx, and Nordstrom Rack. The prices ranged from $39-$69. Far below the retail.
If you go to the Steinmart and Nordstrom Rack websites you can simply use the search term “Vince Camuto” to see what they currently have in stock. Unfortunately, with TJMaxx’s website they do not allow you to search by designer. It is by chance I have found Vince Camuto on their website. I simply search their “new arrivals” and look to see if there is anything new from this designer on the TJMaxx website. Below are photos of some of the Vince Camuto selections currently at Nordstrom Rack. Check out the prices! Almost all are approximately 1/3 off the retail price. Retail price $148 and the Nordstrom Rack price is $49.
These Vince Camuto shoes from Steinmart are the same style I am wearing in the photos above. They go with almost every dress I own. I have gotten more use out of these shoes than any others in recent months. The neutral nude tone matches everything and the block heel style makes it a more stable and comfortable shoe in my humble opinion.
The jewelry I am wearing in two of the photos are hot pink Kendra Scott Danielle earrings with matching necklace. When I purchase Kendra Scott I always buy the necklace and earrings together to match. It makes picking out jewelry for an outfit easy when the necklace and earrings match perfectly and were purchased together. I love getting the Kendra Scott sets in different colors for birthdays, anniversary, and Christmas. My husband knows what I like and is great at picking out Kendra Scott matching sets as gifts for me. My hot pink Danielle set and red Danielle set seem to get some of the most use because the colors in my wardrobe contain lots of pinks and reds. Here is a link to Danielle pink earrings, on sale right now: https://www.kendrascott.com/products/danielle-mte.html?dwvar_danielle-mte_stoneColor=950#q=danielle&lang=en_US&start=2
If you enjoy dressing up everyday, even to run to the grocery store, embrace it! It may be your version of self-care.
